


New Friends

by bottledspirits



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-14
Updated: 2013-08-14
Packaged: 2017-12-23 10:51:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/925508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bottledspirits/pseuds/bottledspirits
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rum isn't used to people taking an interest in him, especially not ones so...little.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Friends

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a series of ideas that revolve around Belle and Rum as schoolkids together. Let there be baby!Rumbelle.

Rum was used to the graceless clamor of his classmates as they stumbled about the room every day. What he wasn’t used to was a stampede of pint-sized juggernauts parading underfoot like a herd of wild elephants. What was so interesting about a classroom, anyway?

There was, apparently, a tradition at the school. Each year, Ms. Fae’s sixth grade class was flooded with the year’s crop of kindergarteners. The older students were expected to play host to the little monsters and, for reasons beyond Rum’s understanding, befriend them.

The idea was simple. Each sixth grader would take one of the kindergarteners under their wing. They would read to them, play games with them, and help them adjust to their new surroundings. There were arts and crafts, even.

Crafts. Of all things.

Rum slid low in his seat. His desk was positioned in the back of the room, in a corner, at a slight distance from the others. He did not mind being apart from everyone else. From this vantage point he could easily observe the rest of the room. Considering what some of the other kids thought of him, it was for the best.

He watched the tiny cretins file in, bringing the smell of play-doh and paste with them. They had the glazed look of the terminally stupid. Some of them were staring around the room like it was the most amazing thing they’d ever seen; others were gaping at the older students as if they were giants.

The sixth graders, meanwhile, bore a mixture of expressions ranging from benevolence to mild irritation. Regina in particular looked as if she could bite someone. She was trying to smile, but all she was really doing was showing her teeth. Rum choked back a laugh.

Ms. Fae was welcoming the children to the class, chirping at them in that overly-cheerful voice of hers. Rum knew better than to trust her façade. He knew she hated him, as much as she tried to mask it. There was a reason she had yet to object to his seating choice.

“Come in, don’t be shy!” the woman was saying. She waved her hands over the children and beamed like it was Christmas. “Just go up to someone and say hello! Everyone’s friendly here.”

A murmur swept through the older children. For a moment Ms. Fae’s smile froze. She turned, casting a frigid look at her class. No one said a word. Satisfied, the teacher turned away, smiling as if nothing had happened as she urged the kindergarteners to mingle with the sixth graders.

They didn’t budge. They were lined up along the wall, staring. From the looks on their faces, they evidently expected to be eaten alive.

The first to move was one of the girls. She had long black hair that must’ve been a pain for her parents, and she seemed to have some affinity for the color red. Her skirt, her socks, and even the barrette in her hair were all the same shade of crimson. Everything else she wore was black, down to her patent-leather Mary Janes. There was a name tag pinned to her dress. It read “Ruby” in tall, slanting letters.

Ruby surveyed the room with a serene expression, as if there was nothing that could possibly frighten her. Her eyes locked on a backpack that was resting on the floor near its owner’s desk. The zipper was decorated with a set of charms – an umbrella, a cricket, and a little dog.

The girl’s gaze drifted upward. Her eyes met the occupant of the desk, Archie Hopper. He was startled by the attention, and by the unnervingly steady look in Ruby’s eyes, but he gathered his nerves and returned her look with a smile. It went all the way to his eyes, bringing warmth to his whole face.

Watching him, the girl’s lips flickered into a smile of their own. She marched to the boy’s desk without a word, stopping just inches from his chair.

“Do you like dogs?” she asked. Her voice was surprisingly sweet. One wouldn’t expect it, judging from the almost wolfish look in her eyes.

“I-I…” Archie glanced past Ruby uncertainly, looking at Ms. Fae as if she could save him. The woman nodded eagerly, her dark curls bouncing as she did.

Archie seemed to take courage from that. He looked back at the girl before him and returned her uncanny stare with a look of determination.

“I do,” he said decidedly.

“What kinds?” Ruby asked immediately.

That seemed to throw him for a loop.

“I, uh…all kinds, really,” Archie faltered. “I don’t think there are any bad kinds, are there?”

Ruby nodded.

“Good. I’ll have you, then,” she said, and she climbed into his lap.

Archie stared and stammered as she hoisted herself up, using his khakis as a hold. His arms shot out to make sure she wouldn’t fall, his hands hovering just shy of actually touching the girl. He cast a look at Ms. Fae, as if afraid that justice would come crashing down on him any moment, but the woman only smiled and flapped her hands in encouragement.

The boy returned his attention to the girl on his lap. His ears were red. Rum ducked his head, biting his lip to stop himself laughing.

Ruby took no notice of Archie’s distress. She arranged herself modestly on his lap, tucking her skirt in before looking around at her surroundings. She took a keen interest in the things on his desk.

One item in particular seemed to strike her fancy. She reached for it, and Archie watched in apprehension as she balanced precariously on his knee. The danger did not bother her, however; she simply reached out and took one of Archie’s hands to steady herself.

“What’s this?” she piped, picking up one of Archie’s pencils. She did not let go of his hand once she had her prize, but went on gripping it absently. It was almost a comical sight, her tiny fingers wrapped comfortably around the edge of his hand, which dwarfed hers by comparison.

The pencil in question was decorated in a pattern variably shaped black-and-white spots.

“Oh,” Archie said, nervousness forgotten as he reached for the pencil. He did not take it from her, and she did not seem to mind as he held the other end, examining it as if he’d never seen it before.

“It reminds me of my dog. Do you know what a Dalmatian is?” Archie asked.

“Ah-huh. They’re the ones with all the spots,” Ruby replied. Archie let out a laugh like a sigh of relief.

“That’s right. My dog, Pongo, he’s a Dalmatian. He’s got more spots than you can count. But, you know, when he was born, he didn’t have any spots at all,” Archie said archly, careful not to look at the girl’s face as she stared at him in wonder.

“He didn’t?” she whispered. She was staring at him, leaning so far back in order to see his face so that her head was resting against his chest. Archie nodded.

“Not a single one,” Archie said. Ruby’s eyes widened.

“So where did his spots come from?” she asked, awed.

“Well…” Archie began, and then he was launching himself into the story of how he raised the dog from a puppy. Ruby listened in rapt attention, interrupting only once to ask if she might grow spots one day.

Archie laughed at that, a rich, genuine laugh that hadn’t the slightest trace of malice or mockery in it. He asked why she wanted to know. Ruby replied that she wanted to be a dog someday. Archie did not tease her for this; he asked her why, and listened as she explained how wonderful dogs were.

They sat together that way, so absorbed in each other that they may as well have been the only people in the room, though every pair of eyes was on them as they talked and laughed.

Ruby’s success emboldened the other children. They began to trickle down the rows, pausing at the various desks like timid herbivores nibbling at the grass. Rum watched the proceedings with interest, amused at how the new friendships were shaping up.

He nearly laughed out loud when a sweet-looking cherub of a girl with raven-black hair stopped at Regina’s desk. Neither girl spoke. Regina stared down at the girl – her name tag read “Snow”, an unbearably saccharine name choice, Rum felt – with the air of one watching an insect. Snow watched the older girl over the top of the desk, eyes wide.

“What is it? What are you staring at?” Regina finally snapped after a few minutes.

Snow only sighed.

“You’re pretty,” she breathed.

The compliment caught Regina off guard. She shifted awkwardly in her seat before giving the younger girl an appraising look.

“Well…thank you. You’re kind of cute, I guess,” Regina said. She did not object when Snow wriggled into the seat beside her.

Rum glanced around the room to see how many kids were left. He only saw one, a scrawny, freckled, red-headed boy standing next to the door. It was hard to read the name tag from across the room – Rum could just make out a capital A. The boy looked nervous.

He had the urge to get up and approach the boy. He knew what it was like to be the odd one out. But he was not sure he would know what to say. Better not to say anything at all.

As Rum watched, one of his classmates walked over to the boy and crouched beside him. Mark was the oldest in the class, as well as one of the biggest, and little what’s-his-name quailed under the older boy’s gaze.

“What’s the matter?” Mark asked. “Don’t you want to make any friends?”

The little boy shook his head furiously.  Mark frowned.

“Why not?” Mark asked. When the boy only stared at him fearfully, Mark leaned forward and added kindly, “Don’t worry. You can trust me.”

The boy hesitated a moment before gesturing for Mark to come closer. The older boy obligingly leaned forward and listened patiently while the child spoke in his ear. Mark’s eyebrows shot up at whatever he was hearing. He sat back and patted the little boy on the back.

“Is that all? That’s no problem. We can take care of that right away. What’s your name?” Mark asked.

“A-august,” the boy replied. His voice was surprisingly soft.

“August? That’s a good name. There’s a famous painter with the same name. Lots of people like his work,” Mark said as he stood. Little August’s face lit up at this.

Mark took the boy’s hand and led him to Ms. Fae, who was watching the proceedings from the front of the room.

“Ms. Fae? Could I have a hall pass for my friend and me? August here has a little problem he needs to take care of,” Mark said in a low voice, squeezing the boy’s hand as he jerked his head in August’s direction.

Ms. Fae looked puzzled. But when she glanced at August, and saw him standing with his legs crossed at odds, she gave a start and turned to rummage in her desk.

“Of course, of course! Go right now. I trust you’ll come straight back,” Ms. Fae said as she scribbled on a pad. She ripped off the top sheet in one movement and thrust it into Mark’s hand. The boy nodded, glanced at August, and then led the boy from the room. Ms. Fae let out a sigh of relief as the door closed behind them.

That was that. It looked like Rum was off the hook. He looked around the room one more time to be sure, and when he saw no wayward kindergarteners wandering the aisles, he rummaged in his desk and brought out a battered paperback. He’d hunted loose change for weeks in order to save enough to buy an old copy of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at the used bookstore, and he’d hidden it away in his desk all day, waiting for a chance to read it.

He cracked it open, leaning back in his seat and placing his feet on the desk. Ms. Fae wouldn’t like that, but the old bag would have to come over here herself if she wanted him to stop. He doubted she’d dare.

Rum inhaled the smell of the book. It was like heaven. He could lose himself in ink and paper and worlds far away, forgetting all about this place and the people in it. With an audible sigh, he leafed through to the first chapter and let his eyes drift down the page.

“What’cha readin’?”

Rum froze. He glanced over the top of the book to see where the sound had come from, but there was no one. He saw only the empty expanse of his desk. Yet he had the strangest feeling he was being watched.

Setting the book down with care, Rum removed his feet from the desk so he could lean forward to look over the desk. He could just make out a crop of curly brown hair.

Rum pushed his chair back and craned his head to look under the desk. He nearly jumped at what he found.

A little girl stood before his desk. She was small enough that she could have stood under the desk without stooping her head. Rum thought she looked like a doll. Her hair had been pulled into two neat braids tied with white ribbons, and the dress she wore was the color of sunlight, all edged in snowy lace.

“And what’re you supposed to be?” Rum asked shortly. He felt stupid, hanging over the side of his desk.

 “Belle,” she said simply, as if it was obvious.

Rum snorted.

“I didn’t mean your name,” he said as he sat up. He could read that on her name tag, in tipsy little letters: Isabelle.

He expected her to call him mean, to run off and tattle to Ms. Fae. To his surprise, she walked around the desk to face him and stared up with pale, unblinking eyes the color of the sky.

“What are you reading?” she asked again.

Under her somber gaze, Rum faltered. He picked up the book again and leafed through the pages.

“You’ve never heard of C.S. Lewis?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“Is it good?”

He shrugged and made a face.

“Don’t know. Just started,” Rum admitted.

The girl pursed her lips as if in deep thought. It was a strangely serious look for someone so small. Rum had to stop himself from smiling.

“Can I read with you?” Belle said quietly.

Rum opened his mouth to say something sharp, but closed it when he realized he couldn’t actually think of anything to say. There was something so quiet, so somber, so  _watchful_  about this girl. He had a feeling if he said something nasty, she’d have something to say back.

“You can read?” he asked eventually.

She nodded.

“Mama taught me,” Belle said. There was something in her voice that sounded sad.

Rum regarded her for a moment. She had not asked him any awkward questions, nor was she loud or rambunctious. He might be able to tolerate this kid.

“All right,” Rum said. “Just don’t slow me down.”

Belle nodded, her ribbons swishing as she moved. She looked around at the nearby desks. Rum followed her gaze until he realized she was looking for another chair. There were none.

“Here,” he said. She turned at the sound of his voice.

He set down the book and held his hands out, not wanting to move an inch closer unless she was okay with it. The girl watched him for a moment before she realized what he intended. Then, without so much as a flicker of doubt, she stepped into his arms and took a firm grip on his sleeves to steady herself.

Rum hoisted her up and set her down to perch on the edge of his knees. Belle had other ideas. She shuffled back until she was sitting against his chest, her head resting just under his chin. Before he could say anything, she picked up the book and opened it, her chubby little fingers gripping the pages with care.

He let her turn the pages. He did not even protest that she read at a snail’s pace compared to him. They made it to the end of the first chapter and had just started on the second when Ms. Fae called out that it was time for the little ones to return to their class.

A cry of dismay went out around the room. Ms. Fae smiled indulgently.

“I’m sorry, but you’ll all see each other very soon,” she promised.

There was a hum of activity as the students, big and small, stood and said their goodbyes. Archie fought to disentangle a reluctant Ruby from one of his legs, and Regina was hurrying to finish braiding Snow’s hair. By the door, Mark and August were talking in a furious whisper; by the grins on their faces, it appeared to be a lively conversation.

Belle, meanwhile, did not seem to have noticed that everyone else was preparing to leave. She held tight to the book, her head going back and forth as she hurried to reach the bottom of the page. Rum gently reached out and took the edges of the book, not closing, but not allowing her to turn another page.

“Not yet,” the girl whispered. Rum rather agreed with her.

“Time to go,” he said nonetheless.

Slowly, Belle relinquished her hold on the book. She allowed Rum to pick her up and place her gently on the floor beside him. He nearly felt his heart stop when she looked up at him with wide, dewy eyes.

“Can we read again sometime?” she asked.

Rum could only nod. Belle grinned, showing rows of tiny white teeth. One of her front teeth was missing.

“Good-bye…” she paused, frowning. “What’s your name?”

He laughed out loud at that, and it sounded unlike anything he’d heard himself do for years. It sounded real.

“Rum,” he said simply.

Belle beamed at that.

“That sounds like Tumnus,” she said brightly, clearly pleased with herself.

“Did you like Mr. Tumnus?” Rum asked. His voice was quiet amidst the hubbub around them, but she heard him.

“I liked him best,” Belle said.

Rum’s face twitched into the beginning of a timid smile. Just then, Ms. Fae called for the kindergarteners to line up by the door. Belle’s smile faded as she turned to see her classmates massing in the front. She looked back at him, the sad look in her eyes once more.

“Bye, Rum,” she said, her voice like a drop in a sea of noise.

He reached out to touch one of her braids. It had worked itself loose and was threatening to unravel completely. He tucked it behind her ear as gently as he might brush a butterfly’s wing.

“Good-bye, Belle,” he said.

There were no more words exchanged between them. She was the very last to get in line, and she stared back at him over her shoulder as she left the room. He looked back until the door closed behind her.

Rum sat up in his desk. He stretched out, casting a look around the class. He felt irritated for some reason now. Everyone looked so cheerful after their little playdates with the brats. He hadn’t done anything outside his usual. So he happened to share his seat the whole time, so what?

He moved to put the book back in his desk before Ms. Fae saw it. As he did, he heard a flutter and saw something fall to the floor by his desk. He leaned over and found a crumpled white ribbon.

His eyes darted around the room. No one was looking. They were all too preoccupied with getting their desks back in order.

Rum reached down and gently closed his hand around the ribbon. He sat up with a feigned air of indifference and put his hands in his pockets before anyone had time to wonder what he was doing.

He would keep it for her until next time. 


End file.
